Plastic film bags and carrying handle



Feb. 25, 1969 J, J, DQRFMAN 3,429,498

PLASTIC FILM BAGS AND CARRYING HANDLE Filed Sept. 15, 1967 Sheet 1 1: I t :1 i 1211:": 12 4 r 2 16 18A g 4 4 INVENTOR. Jerome J. Dorfman AT IQBNEY Feb. 25, 1969 J. J. DORFMAN 3,429,498

PLASTIC FILM BAGS AND CARRYING HANDLE Filed Sept. 15, 1967 Sheet 2 of 2 United States Patent 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Plastic :film bags having a plastic carrying handle sealed thereto.

Background of the invention It has been proposed to provide plastic film bags or envelopes for packing soft goods for display and sale, wherein the bag initially includes handle means so that the bag and its contents may be carried conveniently, and fiuther, the bag may still be used after its original contents are removed therefrom.

In one such known form of bag, the handle comprises a .pair of similar opposed plastic strips interconnected at their opposite ends and with upstanding loop d handle forming portions at the midportions thereof; the strips being heat sealed to the mouth portions of the bag. Further, the opposed strips include coacting snap type fasteners at spaced points to detachably interconnect the strips to close the bag.

The handle in such known bag construction has substantial bulk and locates a substantial weight of material at the mouth of the bag, particularly when compared to the weight of the light gauge plastic films forming the bag proper. Also, the spaced fasteners leave extended portions of the handle forming strips unattached and susceptible to displacement and inadvertent opening of the bag.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide improved plastic film bags having a single mold d plastic handle in flat strip form which constitutes but a slight increase in bulk and weight of the complete ba g.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved plastic film bag of the character d scribed, which includes a flap portion sealed at its upper edge to the handle and which may be disposed inwardly or outwardly of the bag.

A further object of this invention is to provide a ag of the character described wherein a flap portion is fixed at its side edges to the side portions of the bag and is effective as a retaining means to avoid inadvertent opening of the bag yet allowing for ready insertion and removal of the contents of the bag.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a bag of the character described, wherein the opening of the bag is at th bottom thereof, remote from the suspending handle means; a closure flap being provided and being so related to the bag panels as to allow for its manipulation between open and closed positions thereof.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

Brief description of the drawing FIG. 1 is a front plan view showing a bag embodying th invention, with parts broken away;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front plan view showing another embodiment of the invention, with parts broken away;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a front plan view showing. still another embodiment of the invention, with parts broken away;

3,429,498 Patented Feb. 25, 1969 "ice FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view similar to that of FIG. 6, showing the closure flap of the bag in its closed position.

Description of the preferred embodiments As shown in FIG. 1, (10 designates a plastic film bag embodying the invention. Bag 10 is formed of thin gauge plastic film which may be derived from polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride or other known thermoplastic resins. The bag 10 is of quadrilateral shape comprising a back panel 11 and a front panel 12. The panels '11, 12 are secured together along bottom edge 13 and side edges 14, 15, as by heat sealing or the like. Alternatively, the bag may b formed from tubular plastic film stock.

The back panel :11 has a length somewhat greater than that of front panel 12, the portion thereof extending beyond the top edg 16 of front .panel 12, being folded on a transverse fold line 17 spaced a ove the top edge 16 of front panel 12, to form a flap portion 18 which overlies the front surface of the front panel 12. The bottom edge 19 of flap portion 18 is located well below the top edge 16 of the front panel 12.

Bag I10 is rovid d with a combination handle and suspension means indicated at 23 which is formed of molded thermoplastic resin such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or the like. Handle means 23 comprises a flat flexible strip 24 which retains some stiffness. Strip 24 includes oppositely extending arm portions 24A, 24B and an interm diate portion 25 from which extends an integral, molded loop 26 providing handle means defined by an aperture 27 for receiving the fingers of one carrying bag 10.

Handle means 23 is assembled with bag 10 by way of a slit 20 cut in fold line 17 centrally thereof and extending between spaced points 21, 22 in said fold line. The spacing between points 21, 22 corresponds to the longitudinal extent of the base portion of handle loop 26. Thus, handle means 23 is disposed between fl p 18 and panel 12 with loop 26 thereof uppermost and is moved upwardly to pass loop 26 through slit 20 and to bring the outermost edg portions of the base of loop 26 in abutting relation to the ends of slit 20, at points 21, 22.

The arm portions 24A, 24B of the handle means 23 will fit beneath fold portions 17A, 17B in fold line 17, with the bottom edge of strip 24 being spaced relative the top edge 16 of front panel 12. The transversely extending upper portions of flap 18 and back panel 11 in opposed relation to the opposite; faces of strip 24 are heat sealed thereto. Thus, handle means 23 is positively secured in place with arms 24A, 24B thereof extending to the side edges 14, 15 of back panel 11.

The flap 18 may have slightly tapering side edges which facilitates the tucking of the flap 18 inwardly between the panels 11, 12 to close bag 10. Alternatively, the flap 18 may be left outwardly of front panel 12. Merchandise may be readily inserted or removed from bag 10, merely by lifting flap 18 to gain access to the interior of the bag. The single handle means 23 is adequate to support the bag and its contents while adding but a minimal amount of weight and bulk to the bag.

The handle means 23 may have a thickness of from about .050" to about .125", preferably about .060"; while strip portion 24 may have a width of from about A" to about /2", preferably about The plastic film forming bag panels 11, 12 and flap 18 may have a gauge of from 1 to 8 mils.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 3, 4, wherein bag 10A is similar to bag 10 described, except as hereinafter pointed out. In bag 10A,

3 the flap 18 has its side edges 18A, 18B respectively secured to the side edges 14, 15 respectively of panels 11, 12. Thus, the flap closure is securely held in its closed position against front panel 12.

However, access to the interior of bag A is readily attained by merely displacing panel 18 by way of its bottom edge 19 from panel 12 by way of its top edge 16, to thereby provide for insertion or removal of merchandise.

Still another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 5, 6, wherein bag 10B is similar to bag 10, except as hereinafter pointed out. In bag 1013, the panels 11, 12 are integral with each other at the transverse fold line 17 and the opening of said bag is at the bottom thereof.

Thus, the back panel 11 has a free bottom edge 13A, while the front panel 12 has an extended flap portion 30 which is turned upwardly on a fold line 31 which is coextensive with bottom edge 13A of back panel 11. The flap portion 30 is normally disposed in opposing relation to the outer surface of the lower panel portion 12A of front panel 12; the side edges 32, 33 of said fiap portion 30 being sealed to the side edges 14, 15 of panels 11, 12; flap portion thus having a free top transverse edge 34.

With flap 30 in its normal position, as indicated in FIGS. 5, 6, the bag 10B may be readily filled with contents or the contents may be removed therefrom. The bag 10B is closed by simple manipulation of flap portion 30 to turn the same about is fold line 31 to bring said flap portion into opposed relation to back panel 11, as shown in FIG. 7.

:In bag 10B, as in bags 10, 10A, the handle means 23 is an extremely effective, light weight suspension for the bags and their contents; yet adding minimal amounts to the total weight and bulk of the bags.

As various changes might be made in the embodiments of the herein disclosed invention without departing from the spirit thereof, it is understood that all matter herein shown or described shall be deemed illustrative and not by way of limitation except as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A bag construction comprising opposed front and back panels of thin flexible plastic material, a flat plastic handle comprising a centrally located loop handle portion and arm portions extending laterally from opposite ends of said loop portion, said back panel having a folded top edge portion providing opposed transversely extending surface portions, the fold line of said folded top edge portion being formed with a centrally disposed logitudinally extending slit, said handle having the arm portions thereof located between the opposed surface portions of said folded edge portion with the loop handle portion projecting through said slit, said handle being in sealed relation to the opposed surface portions of said folded edge portion, and a transverse opening between said panels for inserting objects into and taking objects out of said bag construction.

2. A bag construction as in claim 1 wherein one of said panels includes a flap portion at the lower end thereof, said flap portion being folded back in opposed relation to lower surface portions of said one panel along a transverse folded edge substantially coextensive with the transverse bottom edge of the other panel, said flap portion having the opposite side edges thereof secured to the side edges of said panels, said flap portion being foldable about said transverse folded edge into opposing relation to lower surface portions of the other panel to thereby close the opening between the panels along bottom edge portions thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,620,842 12/ 1952 Hoeppner et al. 7 3,088,256 5/1963 Brown 53-29 X FOREIGN PATENTS 5,856 1913 Great Britain. 1,447,571 6/ 1966 France.

DAVID M. BOCKENEK, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

